A World Against Itself
A World Against Itself was a comic book story published by Gold Key Comics in 1978. It was the 16th of 22 stories drawn by Alden McWilliams and the 18th of 20 stories written by Arnold Drake. In this story, the brains of Spock and Montgomery Scott were tampered with, spurring them to take opposing sides in a civil war. Publisher's description ;Cover blurb :Spock versus Scott in a world against itself! Summary Captain’s Log, Stardate 72:35.3. At 06:30 I briefed exec officers on “Project Bira-3”… Captain’s Log, Stardate 19:27.9… Still no word from Mr. Spock or Scotty… I will shortly have no recourse than to begin a search for them. References Characters :Cag • Dalik • Ibar the Magnificent • James T. Kirk • Knarg • Netuya • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Uxorda Starships and vehicles : ( ) • Stoyak aircraft Locations :Bira (Bira III) Races and cultures :Garda • Human • Stoyak • Vulcan States and organizations :Federation • 14th Combat Aircraft Division • Starfleet Science and technology :brain • brain devices • intelligence • radioactivity • science • shock rod Ranks and titles :captain • colonel • engineer • general • lieutenant • spokesman • tribesman Other references :axe • barbarian • baseball • boxing • civil war • city • civilization • dog • god • hell • helmet • horned mossek • inja • jungle • logic • oatmeal • pistol • planet • Prime Directive • pyramid • sheep • silver cup • solar system • spear • Starfleet Boxing Championship • sword • telekinesis • tribe • worship Timeline Chronology "|}} | nextMB= "To Err Is Vulcan"|}} Production history * [[1978|'September 1978']] – Original printing * [[1979|'1979']] – An abridged 13-page reprint appeared in Star Trek Annual (1980). * Cover reproduced as a 9x13 embossed tin wall sign Appendices Background * The reprint of this story cut a four-panel scene where security officers Cag and Dalik played a chess-like game for money. It also cut Spock’s fight in the jungle with a horned mossek, which confirmed for Netuya that Spock was the legendary Garda deity Ibar the Magnificent. * The captured Garda city boasted two Mayan-like stepped pyramids which were 12 stories tall. * Hikaru Sulu assumed command after Kirk beamed down to search for Spock and Scott. * The brain capacity devices which altered Scott and Spock were similar to the training device called the “Great Teacher” seen in . Why the Stoyak had such devices was not explained, nor what purpose they served in their society. Were they used to assimilate Garda prisoners, or possibly augment their own intelligence? * While a majority of Gold Key Comics covers illustrated a scene from the story, this one depicted the launch of a shuttlecraft, which did not occur in the story. Scott’s name was misspelled. * The span of stardates from Kirk’s log in parts 1 and 2 usually indicated a passage of many years. Related stories * – Spock materialized in front of a group of cavemen to assume the role of their deity Unruho. * – Unbalanced mental transmissions from a brain entity altered the thoughts of nearby humanoids, driving them temporarily mad. * – McCoy employed a helmeted training device that temporarily augmented his intelligence on Sigma Draconis VI. * }} – Under the influence of time travel through the atavachron, Spock began to revert to the ways of savage Vulcans from their prehistory. * – The Federation took sides in a civil war between pre-warp societies on Neural. * – ’s Captain Ronald Tracey took sides in a civil war between pre-warp societies on Omega IV. Images gold Key 55.jpg|Cover image. gK55-Knarg.jpg|Colonel Knarg. gK55-Netuya.jpg|Leader Netuya. gK55-Uxorda.jpg|Great Uxorda. gK55-Brain-devices.jpg|Stoyak brain devices. gK55-Stoyak-aircraft.jpg|Stoyak aircraft. gK55-Spock-Ibar.jpg|Spock as Ibar the Magnificent. gK55-Bira-III.jpg|Bira III. gK55-horned-mossek.jpg|Horned mossek. gK55-Pyramids.jpg|Garda pyramids. External links * * A World Against Itself article at [http://curtdanhauser.com/Main.html Curt Danhauser’s Guide to the Gold Key Star Trek Comics]. World Against Itself Category:1978 productions and publications